


don't close your eyes

by coldnerdytrash



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-30
Updated: 2018-09-30
Packaged: 2019-07-20 12:42:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16137485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coldnerdytrash/pseuds/coldnerdytrash
Summary: One thing Steve had always loved about Tony was his stubbornness, but he had never thought it would come back to bit them in the ass like this.





	don't close your eyes

"I've got you. You're going to be okay, I promise."

Steve could hardly make out the words being whispered into his ear and couldn't even begin to decipher who was saying them. All that he could register was the physical sensation of someone's breath against his ear as they spoke and the dull but growing pain in his abdomen.

"You're going to be okay, Steve," the voice said again, and this time Steve recognized the voice. It was Tony. "Hang on, okay? I know it hurts, I do, but you've got to stay awake with me. Medevac is on its way, they're gonna take care of you better than I can."

The dull pressure in Steve's abdomen grew even more in its intensity as his mind unfogged, the feeling growing sharp, sharp, _sharper_ through his gut.

 _ **Through** my gut,_ he thought numbly.

"Steve, baby, you've got to stay awake. I know it hurts, but don't close your eyes," Tony murmured. Steve could feel him move and then suddenly he was locking eyes with Tony, his vision blurrily showing his husband. "I better see those blue eyes, Steve. I fucking better."

Steve then realized how bad Tony was choking over his own words. He didn't know why Tony was so upset, just that he was. Then he looked down at his stomach.

"No, don't look at that, Steve, look at me. Keep those beautiful blue eyes on me, okay?" Tony put his hand under Steve's chin, tilted his head back up so he was forced to look at Tony and not...

Not the piece of scaffolding that was impaling him.

"Tony?" he whispered, his voice broken as it hit him why the pain wasn't only on the outside, but running through him. He had been _run through_ with scaffolding and he was already lucky to still be breathing.

"Yes, Steve?" There were tears falling quickly down Tony's cheeks. Tony must have known that medevac wouldn't get there quick enough to save Steve, but he didn't know that Steve knew that, too. He thought Steve was unaware of how quickly his life was fading.

"I'm gonna be okay, Tony," he whispered, then tried to lift his hand to Tony's face. He only got his arm lifted a few inches off of the rubble he laid in before it collapsed back to the concrete. He was so weak from the exhaustion of battle and the blood loss from his wound.

He was going to die and his last words to his husband were going to be lies.

"You are," Tony agreed, nodding vigorously. Then Steve thought, _maybe he thinks I will be okay. Maybe he's being hopeful - a bit **too** hopeful._

"I love you, Tony," Steve muttered, and he could at least die knowing that that wasn't a lie. It never had been a lie when he said it to Tony, never.

"I love you, too, Steve," Tony choked. "Now stay awake, you idiot. I'm not letting you die here." _Overly hopeful it is, then,_ Steve thought morbidly. He could feel his life draining out of him just as quickly as the tears were spilling from Tony's brown eyes.

"I'm not gonna die, Shellhead," Steve said weakly. God, he really wanted to close his eyes, rest for just a minute. But he couldn't, not yet. He'd get his rest soon enough, but he wouldn't die just then. He wanted Tony to realize what was happening so that when Steve did close his eyes and his heart did slow to a stop, he wouldn't be surprised.

But Steve had to be honest with himself, even if Tony wasn't being honest with either of them. He was dying, and, try as he might (and he sure as hell did try), he couldn't put off his death long enough for Tony to come to his senses. One thing Steve had always loved about Tony was his stubbornness, but he had never thought it would come back to bit them in the ass like this.

Yet here Tony's stubbornness was, not allowing him to prepare for a broken heart and a dead husband.

"I love you, Tony, so much..." Steve whispered one last time before closing his eyes and letting the distant sounds of the medevac sirens fade into nothing.

Well, at least his very last words weren't a lie.

**Author's Note:**

> find me on tumblr at rebellionrogers :)


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